U.S. Marshals Capture Scranton Alleged Murder Fugitive in Upstate New
York

Scranton, PA – United States Marshal Martin J. Pane
announced today that the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Ryan Harding in
Syracuse, New York.

Harding was being sought by the Scranton Police Department for a homicide that
occurred on May 5, 2013. It is alleged that Harding shot at his victim, striking
him twice. On May 10, an arrest warrant was issued by Magisterial District Judge
Alyce Hailstone Farrell, charging Harding with the following offenses:

Murder of the First Degree

Aggravated Assault

Simple Assault

Murder of the Third Degree

Firearms not to be Carried without a License

Possession of Prohibited Firearm

At the request of the Scranton Police Department, the U.S.
Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
began investigating the whereabouts of Harding. Information was developed by
U.S. Marshals and task force personnel indicating that Harding may have fled to
the Syracuse, New York area.

U.S. Marshals based in Scranton, as well as task force personnel, traveled to
Syracuse yesterday to investigate all potential leads. During the evening hours,
U.S. Marshals spotted the fugitive walking outside a residential building.
Harding fled as USMS and task force personnel closed in. A chase ensued, and the
fugitive ran into a nearby apartment building in the 2000 block of East
Lafayette Street.

U.S. Marshals and task force officers, assisted by local law enforcement
officers who arrived on the scene, established a perimeter around the building.
The Syracuse Police Department’s SWAT Team was activated and began to clear the
building to locate Harding. Late last night, U.S. Marshals Service personnel
arrested Harding without incident at the East Lafayette Street building.

Harding, 18-years of age, was turned over to the Syracuse Police Department for
processing. Harding will be arraigned today on the Scranton charges and on the
matter of his extradition to Lackawanna County.

United States Marshal Martin J. Pane stated, “It is law enforcement’s top
priority to arrest violent offenders, especially those who have no regard for
human life. I am very proud of the work the Fugitive Task Force members did to
bring Harding to justice.”

“On behalf of the Scranton Police Department, we appreciate the tireless and
diligent efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend this violent
fugitive”, said Scranton Police Chief Carl Graziano.

U.S. Marshals were assisted by personnel from the following agencies who are
full-time participants in the USMS Fugitive Task Force in the Middle District of
Pennsylvania: the Scranton Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the
Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, and the Lackawanna County Sheriff’s
Office. A vast amount of assistance and support was provided by the Syracuse
Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service personnel from the Northern District
of New York.

The concept of all USMS-led fugitive task forces is to seek out and arrest the
nation’s most dangerous offenders.